Global TB Report

In October 2024, according to recently released World Health Organization’s Global TB Report, India has made substantial progress in tuberculosis (TB) treatment coverage and preventive therapy.

Key Points

High Preventive Therapy Coverage: India increased preventive therapy coverage for high-risk groups, with 12.2 lakh individuals receiving therapy in 2023 compared to 10.2 lakh in 2022.
Treatment Coverage Milestone: India achieved an 85% treatment coverage rate, making it one of seven high-burden countries with extensive treatment outreach. Free medication programs are essential, as TB treatment can be costly and last up to two years, affecting patients’ income during recovery.
Treatment Success Rates: Treatment success reached 89% for drug-susceptible TB cases, 73% for cases resistant to rifampicin or multiple drugs, and 69% for extensively drug-resistant TB.
Progress in Case Detection: Estimated TB cases in India were 28 lakh in 2023, making up 26% of global cases, with 3.15 lakh TB-related deaths accounting for 29% of global fatalities.
Closing the Diagnosis Gap: The gap between estimated and diagnosed cases narrowed, with 25.2 lakh cases reported in 2023, an increase from 24.2 lakh in 2022.